It's A Hard Knock Life
by lirpa-chan
Summary: The Gboys were given a back up pilot, but honestly, what did they need one for? Their Gundam Pilots! Can the back up make a place for herself to stay or will she hit the road? It’s a battle against wills, wits, and pranks. Can’t everyone just get along! H
1. Prologue

It's A Hard Knock Life

  
  
  
  


Prologue:

  
  
  
  


"So, where is this new pilot?" I asked impatiently. The five of us had received orders from the docs to meet some new pilot who was supposed to be our backup. Pfft, as if we needed one, but orders are orders.

  
  


"I dunno guys, you sure we want this dude to be our backup? He's pretty damn late now. Do ya think we can rely on him incase an emergency came up?" I asked, searching the faces of the three who had accompanied me to the supermarket.

  
  


Yes, you heard right. A /supermarket/.

  
  


Two sets of glares were sent in my direction, but it was a somewhat weary voice that answered me,

  
  


"I'm sure there's a logical explanation." The fair Quatre said. "Besides, it hasn't been /that/ long. Maybe they just ran into difficulty getting here."

  
  


"Hmph. All I know is they better have a good explanation for being an hour late." I replied crossing my arms and leaning against the shelving that supported tons of cereal boxes.

  
  


People came and went down the aisle, but always patronizing us with a suspicious look. It was starting to get rather annoying, and I was sure it wouldn't be too long until some old granny, shopping for her calcium induced oatmeal no less, would go tell some supermarket security guard we were loitering. If there was such a thing as a supermarket security guard anyway. It didn't help matters that I was /really/ hungry.

  
  


To prove the point that I needed nourishment my stomach let out an obnoxious noise. I groaned. "Why didn't we bring any cash with us?"

  
  


"We came here on orders, not to food shop." Was the curt reply of Heero Yuy. 

  
  


Had I not already claimed the title I'd have called him the Devil. There wasn't that much difference in the God of Death and the Devil was there? Well, maybe there was, but the details could be overlooked. For now he's just our favorite glaring fifteen year old and such joy he brought us.

  
  


I glared at him, but held my tongue. I'd rather not get into a ridiculous argument with him; he usually resorted to violence. The guy couldn't take a joke, not if his life depended on it. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've /ever/ seen him smile. He just stands or sits or sleeps with an unemotional mask. I don't even know if Heero's his real name.

  
  


Lazily I let my eyes wander, trying desperately to ignore the pain of hunger. I was not having much success however. Finally, when the other three weren't looking I stealthily grabbed a random box of cereal from the shelf behind me and opened it. Cereal was easily accessible, easy to eat, and easily delicious. Although I suppose /anything/ tasted good when you were hungry.

  
  


Deftly I stuck my hand into the box and was bringing a handful of Apple Jacks to my mouth when an irritated cry made me drop the contents back into the box.

  
  


"Maxwell!" 

  
  


I sighed. I couldn't get away with /anything/.

  
  


"What are you doing?!" A Chinese teenager hissed at me.

  
  


"Lay off Wu, I'm just eating a little cereal." I replied sticking my hand once again into the box. Abruptly the box was rudely snatched away from me, leaving my hand empty of substance once again. 

  
  


"Hey! Wait a min--OW!" I shouted in protest before being punched in the shoulder by Heero. "What the fuck Heero!?"

  
  


"Guys!" Quatre warned, voice slightly tense. "You're drawing attention." He replied in a softer tone.

  
  


Wufei closed up the box of now contaminated cereal and the three of us 'noise makers' scowled at each other for another moment before retreating back to our respectful spots. I glared hard at Heero while massaging the shoulder he punched. Honestly, he didn't have to be /that/ rough to get his point across. It was just a stupid cereal box.

  
  


Silence reigned upon us for about another ten minutes. I figured we probably looked more suspicious standing in the same God damn aisle silent than we did when had been fighting. True, we drew a little bit more attention, but at least it looked like we all ran into each other and were just catching up or something. Besides, I never cared much for silence. It's good every now and then, sure, but not every day, every hour, minute, and second.

  
  


"Do you think Trowa's all right?" I asked to bring about conversation. 

  
  


"If it was just a headache he should be fine." Quatre replied, a thoughtful look gracing his features. His light blue eyes looked slightly worried though.

  
  


"Yeah, you're probably right." I replied more so to ease Quat's anxiety. "Think a bottle of aspirin would be nice though?"

  
  


"I'm pretty sure there's still some at the safe." Quatre replied, casting a quick look outside of the aisle. Even Quatre's patience was being tried waiting for this stupid guy!

  
  


"Nope, I used the last of it last night." I replied. "Had a pretty bad headache myself." 

  
  


That was partially true. The real reason was because I was in so much God damn pain from our previous mission, but I didn't want Wuffers or Heero to know. They'd probably think I was weak and unfit to be a Gundam Pilot. I don't seem to fit any of their other standards since I try to be optimistic and am a bit loud once in awhile. They really need to lighten up.

  
  


"Really? Huh." Quatre responded. "Well, Trowa would probably appreciate it, but we don't have any money for it."

  
  


"Not a problem." I replied with a smile. "You're forgetting who you're with."

  
  


"Duo, you can't steal it." Quatre stated frowning in disapproval. 

  
  


"Sure I can!" I replied cheerily. The blonde frowned, but didn't say anything.

  
  


I liked Quatre, he was real and seemed to have some moral. He was a generous and caring guy. I don't think there was a mean bone in his body, but if that were so then there would be no reason for him to run off and become a Gundam Pilot. I didn't know him well enough to ask what his deal was getting caught up in the war, but I knew I could probably ask him and he'd just be truthful and easy going. He nurtured us four, and whether Heero, Wu, or Trowa noticed, we needed him in order to stay sane and keep the peace between us. 

  
  


"I still don't think you should Duo..." He murmured.

  
  


"He's not going to." Heero replied in his monotonous voice, his steel blue eyes fixed on me in a glare.

  
  


I sighed and leaned back against the shelves and ran my hands down my face. I was tired, sore, and /extremely/ hungry. I hadn't ate anything since yesterday morning and that had been a cruddy ration. Damn mission kept us out from the wee hours of the morning till the darkest hours of the night.

  
  


"Fine, fine, I won't." I muttered letting my hands drop defenselessly to my sides. "Just hope Trowa pulls through."

  
  


I waited around another fifteen or twenty minutes lapsed in silence once again. My stomach made another obnoxious noise that sent a little four year old running down the aisle crying. I glared after the kid who ran to the legs of his mother who stared at us skeptically. I then pushed myself away from the shelf I was leaning against irritated.

  
  


"I'm going back to the safe house." I stated wearily annoyed.

  
  


"Duo, I'm sure they'll be here any minute." Quatre tried to persuade as I began walking down the aisle.

  
  
  
  


"Sorry, Quat, you've been saying that for two hours now. I'll meet him when you guys bring him back to the safe." I responded over my shoulder before disappearing from their view and out near the cash registers.

  
  


~*~

  
  


It was hard walking back to the safe house. I cursed every minute of it. My limbs ached and I really wished I did swipe some aspirin or Tylenol-- anything to numb the pain. But I couldn't go back on my word. I may run and I hide, but I never tell a lie.

  
  


I was only thankful that is was pretty nice out. The sun peeked out behind the clouds every now and then and it wasn't /too/ cold, but still pretty damn chilly. I think that mainly had to do with the wind though. Oh, and the canopy of trees blocking out the majority of light. Damn trees.

  
  


The trail was hard to see which proved to be both good and bad. Good because no one suspected a tiny house (more like an overlarge shed actually) to be in the heart of the woods; bad because, well, I couldn't figure out where the hell I was going. Five times I think I had to turn around and go the other way. Stupid Heero; he wouldn't allow me to leave markings so we wouldn't get lost. Excuse me for not being perfect.

  
  


I was starting to feel slightly dizzy from lack of food and ready to call it quits when I reached a rather steep hill, but the hill signified that the safe wasn't too far off so I sojourned on. I came up to the rear of the wooden safe house we called home for the time being. It was pretty run down, but it was only for another day or two-- then we moved to /another/ safe house located in some /other/ woods.

  
  


I walked to the front of the house and turned the doorknob only to find it was locked. I can't say I was surprised but I cursed and jiggled the knob anyway. This went on for a minute or two before I realized I had the keys in my pocket. Chuckling to myself I unlocked the door and creaked it open. The temperature inside didn't change much from the outside, maybe just a degree or two warmer.

  
  


The cold was welcoming though since I had such a workout walking all the way up here. I threw the keys on the kitchen table and proceeded to the fridge. To my great disappointment and frustration the fridge was practically bare. Half a carton of milk, some containers of left overs that even /I/ was afraid of, and a few other scarce items were all that remained from last weeks shopping. I groaned and shut the fridge and opened the freezer. There wasn't much in there to improve my mood either. Some ice and blood packets incase of an emergency happened were all that greeted me.

  
  


Or was it? 

  
  


I pushed away some of the blood packets to see a carton of ice-cream. The question now was 'is it full'? I opened it only to be disappointed again. There was only enough for another two spoonfuls-- three tops. Still, it was /something/ so I opened a drawer and grabbed a spoon before finishing off the carton.

  
  


Throwing the spoon into the sink and the carton in the trash I wandered down the very small hall to the stairwell. The house was awfully quiet and I wondered if Trowa had maybe gone out.

  
  


"Trowa! Hey, Trowa! Ya home?" I called up the stairs. The thump I heard up above my head and the creaking of the floorboards upstairs announced someone's presence.

  
  


Shadows cascaded most of the room since no lights were on, but to the far right there was a window that allowed a little light from the cloudy day. A tall figure emerged from the steps and one sparkling emerald orb could be seen clearly amidst the shadows. Trowa always seemed to have a dramatic way of entering.

  
  


"Hey Trowa, how ya feelin'?" I asked as he came down the last few steps rubbing his eyes.

  
  


"I've felt better." Was his nonchalant response. I nodded and made my way back into the kitchen. The taller boy followed me, massaging his temples in a circular motion. "Any aspirin around?"

  
  


"Nope." I replied. "I told the guys to get some, but I'll be damned if they do."

  
  


The brunette sighed before sitting down at the table. "What are you doing back anyway?" He asked.

  
  


"I got sick of waiting." I responded opening the fridge hoping that food would magically appear. "The guy could at least have the courtesy to be on time for his first meeting, don't ya think?"

  
  


Trowa didn't respond, but I didn't expect him to. He was another one of the quiet ones, though perhaps a bit more friendly. I figured that had to do with Quatre since they seemed to be relatively good friends. Not to say that Heero and Wuffers aren't nice-- well actually, they /aren't/ nice-- but as I've said before and will say again, they need to lighten up and join the group. Bunch of loners.

  
  


"Why didn't the guys bring money with them!? There isn't anything to eat here!" I whined.

  
  


"There are things to eat here. You just need to co-co-chu!" The uni-banged boy sneezed before finishing the sentence.

  
  


"You just need to sneeze?" I joked. Trowa turned a stony gaze at me and I put my hands up in defense. "I know, I know, but I'm such a horrible cook!" He smiled in satisfaction.

  
  


Quite suddenly a loud bang was heard, startling the both of us. It didn't seem too far off...

  
  


"What do ya think that was?" I asked skeptical. Trowa stared off towards the window before getting up and walking quickly to the door to investigate.

  
  


I followed suit, grabbing the black hand gun on the kitchen counter. As we stepped outta the house I noticed night was starting to descend and the air had gotten pretty crisp. We wandered around back and through the forestry there since that's where we thought the noise to come from. It was silent except for the crunch of dead leaves under our feet (which sent a shivers up my spine) and before we knew it we had come to a small clearing. 

  
  


In the clearing was something very unexpected and surprising; a black Taurus stood immobile in the middle of the place.

  
  


"Don't move." Trowa warned me, considering we were merely feet away from the Taurus. "Give me your gun." I gave him the gun and he edged into the clearing a bit more as the cockpit door of the suit opened.

  
  


He stopped abruptly and the both of us glued our eyes to the figure who stepped forth. They were dressed in a black space suit and had long golden hair that was straight till it got to their waist where it curled slightly. Trowa and I moved back into the shadows of the wood as the person took the suit grappling hook and jumped off the platform, descending to the ground. They looked about their surrounding soberly-- or they did until Trowa sneezed.

  
  


Suddenly they whipped around in search of the noise. I stood stalk still waiting for them to turn back around, but they didn't. Instead they started walking towards us, but I was certain they couldn't see us. I looked up at Trowa for a plan, but he kept his eyes locked on the predator.

  
  


"Trowa!" I hissed finally. He turned a deadly orb on me and I shut up.

  
  


I looked to the ground littered with stones and a plan came to mind. Quietly I leaned over and gathered a few rocks before scampering off, throwing them at random into the clearing. This would take the person's attention off of Trowa and onto me... It then struck me that that had been a bad idea. Damn it! I gotta learn to think things through!

  
  


"Duo!" Trowa hissed alarmed, but I ignored him and continued my antics. It'd be pretty pointless to stop now.

  
  


A few gunshots were heard as the intruder tried to spot me. Out of rocks and now out in the clearing, behind the Taurus to be exact, I now looked to see where they had gotten to. Edging to my left I looked out into the clearing to find it empty.

  
  


"Damn it." I muttered frustrated and nervous, "Where are they?" 

  
  


A gun clicked behind me, "Right here."


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One:

  
  
  
  


"Turn around slowly with your hands up." They ordered me. I put my hands up and smirked as I turned around to face my captor. I came to face a girl about my age with long golden locks. I snickered.

  
  


"Well, well, if it isn't Goldie Locks. Where's the three little bears?" I sneered. She smirked, her dark blue eyes glowing.

  
  


"I've found one, but where are th--" She stopped mid sentence and it seemed as if a realization had taken over her. "You're Duo Maxwell." She stated more than less asked.

  
  


"That depends. Who's asking?" I replied hands still up. She put her gun away and extended her hand instead, ignoring my comment.

  
  


"Professor G said I'd recognize you by a long chestnut braid and sarcastic remarks." She gestured to my braid and I put my hands down, but did not meet hers.

  
  


"Wait a sec, you know Professor G? Who the hell are you?" I demanded. She looked at me quizzically.

  
  


"What do you mean 'who the hell am I'? I'm the back up pilot!" The girl stated.

  
  


I blinked a couple times at her. "Y-/You're/ the back up pilot!?" I asked shocked. She nodded before narrowing her eyes at me.

  
  


"Why? Don't think a girl's capable of doing so?"

  
  


"Now I never said that!" I spat.

  
  


"Then is it because I'm overweight? I'll have you know that I trained just as hard as the rest of--"

  
  


"Freeze." As the two of us had been speaking I hadn't noticed Trowa sneak up behind her with my gun outstretched. He shoved the gun into her back making her facial features contort in a grimace of pain.

  
  


"It's alright Tro," I sighed. "/She's/ the back up pilot."

  
  


"She can't be." Trowa responded in a level voice. "The back up is supposed to meet us at the supermarket."

  
  


"At the supermarket?" The girl questioned. "Why the hell would you meet someone at a /supermarket/?"

  
  
  
  


"She knows Professor G." I responded to Trowa, ignoring her outburst although that had been my initial thought when I first learned about where we'd be meeting the back up.

  
  


"She could have found out through OZ." Trowa responded, gun still shoved in her back. She held her hands up to show she had no means of retaliation.

  
  


"OZ doesn't know about the docs." I returned, though now a bit uncertain on the matter.

  
  


"They could have found out recently." Trowa asserted.

  
  


"They wouldn't be able to locate /us/ though." I replied.

  
  


"You don't know that for certain." He stated.

  
  


"True."

  
  


"Can I ask you guys a question? Wouldn't it look just a /little/ conspicuous if I-- the back up pilot I mean-- showed up a supermarket in a black Taurus mobile suit?" The girl asked looking at me since she couldn't move to see Trowa.

  
  


"She has a point." I replied scratching my head. "What should we do with her?" I asked looking to Trowa.

  
  


"I'm not sure." He replied.

  
  


"Well, we can't stay out here all night." I said, the temperature dropping by the minute. "How 'bout we take her back to the house and wait till the guys come back with the back up pilot and then question her?"

  
  


"But /I/ am the back up pilot!" The girl objected, obviously trying hard to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

  
  


"We don't know that for a fact." I said to her. "Don't worry, we won't kill you until we're sure." I winked.

  
  


"That's real reassuring." She spat before swallowing. She was nervous, that was for sure, but her reason for that particular emotion wasn't clear. Was she in fact an OZ spy and that was why she was so nervous? Or was it because an alleged comrade had her at gun point?

  
  


We silently marched her back to the safe house. She didn't protest in any way, but gave uneasy glances to me and our surroundings.

  
  


"Um, I don't mean to interrupt the silence and all, but shouldn't you hide the Taurus?" She asked suddenly, looking to me as she could still not see Trowa.

  
  
  
  


I stopped and looked to Trowa. "We probably should do that before it gets too dark to find our way back." 

  
  


"Where would we hide it?" Trowa asked also having stopped.

  
  


"I dunno, with the Gundams?"

  
  


"That would be foolish. OZ's plan is probably to locate the Gundams for their own means or to destroy them." Trowa replied.

  
  


"Well, there aren't that many places to hide a mobile suit T." I responded.

  
  


Trowa sighed and looked up to the sky which was now turning violet. "If we're going to hide it we'd have to do it now."

  
  


"We kinda have to hide it, especially since it's in a clearing." I said with a sigh of my own. We stood for a few minutes contemplating our options, the girl rubbed her arms feverishly. I couldn't blame her though, it /was/ getting cold.

  
  


"Look, do whatever you want with the suit, I don't care, but can we please go inside somewhere? I'm freezing." Still, the three of us stood silent until I spoke.

  
  


"How 'bout this? You take her back to the safe, contact the guys if they're not already home and I'll take the suit... Somewhere..." I suggested. Trowa stared at me for a moment before nodding.

  
  


"Okay, we'll be at the safe then." 

  
  


"Good." I heard the girl mutter to herself, slightly relieved. 

  
  


The two of them continued on back to the safe house, leaving me to fend through the dimly lit forest. I sighed. How did I get myself into these things? Grumbling and grudgingly, I made my way back to the Taurus. Now all I had to do was figure out where the hell I was going to put it.

  
  


Trowa was right about not putting it with the Gundams as a precaution, but there really weren't many places to hide something this big. Nor was there enough space despite the fact we were in the middle of nowhere. As long as it was out of the clearing was good enough, I suppose. Just lie it down somewhere in the woods. If there was a cave around I could store it in there, but the only cave in the proximity was hiding Deathscythe, so...

  
  


Ah, hell, I'll just stick it in the woods. We would be leaving in a day or two anyway.

  
  


~*~

  
  


It was pitch black, I had twisted my ankle and fallen more times than I could count. I was tired, now more sore then ever, sweaty... And damn it! I was still fucking hungry! The safe had never looked more inviting than it did right now with light emitting from the few windows. I briefly wondered if the other three were home yet, but if they hadn't come baring food and aspirin I didn't care.

  
  


I opened the door to find it relatively quiet. This was never unusual so I never knew if anyone was home or not. That could get pretty annoying sometimes, but I had grown accustomed to it. As I limped into the house I saw the girl and Trowa sitting at the kitchen table. There was no sign of Quat, Heero, or Wufei.

  
  


"They're still not home?" I grimaced as I sat on the less than comfortable couch. Trowa shook his head.

  
  


"And Quatre's not answering his phone." He added.

  
  


I sighed exasperated and leaned my head against the green couch. "That can't be good."

  
  


"Maybe it's bad reception." Suggested the girl. She seemed placid, but appeared to know her place and contently sat in the wooden chair at the small kitchen table, back facing me.

  
  


We ignored her comment and lapsed into silence for a moment or two.

  
  


"They can't /still/ be at the supermarket." I stated flatly. "There is no way they'd wait /this/ long."

  
  


"I don't know, Heero might." Trowa responded.

  
  


"Not even Heero would wait this long." I argued.

  
  


"Orders from Doctor J would keep him there." Trowa concluded.

  
  


I sighed knowing that was the truth. Heero /would/ wait this long and Quatre and Wufei would just have to wait with him until kingdom come. Though Quatre would've called us by now to let us know the guy hadn't shown up. The fact that he wasn't answering his phone either made me a bit uneasy. 

  
  


"Do you think we should go check up on them? I mean Quat's not answering his cell and all..." I asked uneasy. Trowa shook his head.

  
  


"Quatre probably turned his cell phone off." 

  
  


It was now my turn to shake my head. "Quatre wouldn't do that unless it was an undercover mission."

  
  


"Wouldn't you consider this being an under cover mission?" The girl asked, daring to turn a pair of light blue eyes on me.

  
  


"Shut up." I spat at her and she turned back around in her seat without another word.

  
  


"She has a point Duo." Trowa responded thoughtful. "As do you."

  
  


"So what should we do?"

  
  


"I'm not sure." He responded quietly.

  
  


I sighed exasperated before hefting myself off the couch... Or at least /attempting/ to get off the couch. I fell back onto it and clamped my hands around my left ankle as if they could dissolve the pain. I walked the majority of the way back to the damn safe house with a twisted ankle and it didn't hurt /that/ much!

  
  


"Damn it!" I cried. 

  
  


"What's wrong?" Trowa asked getting up from his seat at the kitchen table. I squinted up at him.

  
  


"I twisted my ankle on the way back from hiding the MS." I managed to reply.

  
  


Trowa sighed and opened the freezer for an ice pack. The girl had long before turned to face me, but she didn't look too sympathetic. She didn't say anything either and for that I was glad.

  
  


"Here." Trowa kneeled and unraveled my fingers from their deadly grasp around the throbbing ankle and applied an ice pack. "It doesn't seem too bad. Just lay off it for awhile."

  
  


"Easy for you to say." I grimaced. "If we ended up having a mission tonight could you imagine the look on Heero's face if I said 'Sorry, I twisted my ankle so I can't come'? He'd murder me."

  
  


Trowa smiled, but whatever he had been thinking he didn't voice. That was the kind of the guy he was. He didn't voice pointless things like moi and I admired him for that. He only put input if he felt it was needed. Trowa preferred to observe than talk. It could give you the impression that he wasn't paying attention, but that wasn't the case.

  
  


Through the stillness of the house I heard my cell phone ring. Of course it was upstairs in my bedroom. I attempted to get up, but Trowa pushed me back down and rose himself.

  
  


"I'll get it." He said.

  
  


"It's on the floor next to my bed." I said to his retreating back. He disappeared down the hall and up the creaking stairs. I looked over to the girl who stared down the hallway for a moment before drifting her gaze across the ceiling, following the creaking of footsteps over our heads.

  
  


"You know, you could run if you wanted." I suddenly found myself saying. "It's not like I could stop you at the moment."

  
  


Her eyes widened in slight surprise before she smiled sardonically. "I have no reason to."

  
  


"Yeah, okay." I responded halfheartedly. Trowa returned after a minute with a somber look on his face.

  
  


"I never want to go back in there." 

  
  


I laughed, "Scary, huh?"

  
  


"How does Heero sleep in there?" Trowa asked absently while handing me the slick black cell phone. I shrugged at his question before asking my own,

  
  


"Catch the caller?"

  
  


"No."

  
  


I checked the back list of calls and noted the latest one was from Quat. He left I voice message so I dialed the number to check it. Trowa raised an eyebrow at me inquiring. "Quat called." I responded. He nodded.

  
  


"Duo!" Quatre's voice whispered urgently through a staticy connection. "Orders got mixed; we've been in an OZ base the whole time! ...Fei and Heero... Separated..." As the message progressed it got harder and harder to decipher what the blonde was trying to get across, and finally the connection terminated all together.

  
  


I stared at the phone in panic. If what the first part of Quatre's message was true (which it likely was) then that meant we had been sitting ducks for the most part of the day, miles from our Gundams, in the most unlikely place for an OZ base. A supermarket for Christ's sake!

  
  


I cleared the message before looking up at two pairs of eyes watching me, solemnly. "I've got some bad news."


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two:

"I've got some bad news."

"What do you mean 'bad news'?" The girl asked turning fully in her seat to see me properly.

"What does it sound like to you?" I snapped at her before directing my gaze to the questioning thin boy standing before me. "You know how we were supposed to meet the back up pilot at the supermarket, right? Well it turns out that the place turned out to be a base full of Ozzies."

Trowa's eyes widened. "An OZ base?"

"Yeah, and according to what I could get from Quat's message the three of them got separated." I replied.

"Why would Doctor J tell Heero to meet someone at an OZ base without telling him he'd be walking on enemy grounds?" Trowa asked skeptical.

"Because Doctor J's a moron." Our captive interjected.

"Who asked you--" I started to say, but she went on as if she didn't hear me.

"Professor G changed the time and place /because/ he thought it would've been suspicious and stupid to walk into enemy hands without being prepared. Doctor J must've not sent an update in the plans." She stated. "Originally, I was supposed to meet you there, having hidden my MS first, and tell you of the next objective."

"Which was?" Inquired Trowa, turning to face her.

"The OZ base." She replied simply. "What I don't get is why they wouldn't have briefed you about it beforehand unless they sent a message and you didn't get it."

"Heero's a stickler when it comes to checking messages. I can't see how he'd have missed such obvious information." I retorted.

"Well it's that or the orders weren't relayed." She replied coolly.

"Yeah? And why would the docs not tell us something as important as that?" I asked coldly. She shrugged before sighing.

"Look, I understand the fact that I'm a suspect from OZ according to you guys, but isn't it a bit more imperative that we get the others out of that place soon?"

"You underestimate the three of them?" Trowa inquired, leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed. The girl bit her lip and the tall boy nodded, "Quatre, Heero, and Wufei are very well trained for such things."

"Well, I'm sure they are-- actually, I /know/ they are, but if they were unprepared..." She trailed off with a hopeless gesture of her hands.

"Yes, that is an issue." Trowa admitted. "And so is the fact that the three of them got separated, if we've assumed right that is."

"Then what do we do?" I asked from the couch, a bit anxious. Nobody answered me though. "Well?"

"I don't know." Trowa replied. "We can't exactly rush in there without a plan. Not to mention that /she/," he gestured to our unexpected guest, "is still unidentified as a friend or foe."

"Arrrrgh!!" She pulled at her golden locks in frustration and sat down exasperated. "I can't believe this!"

"Better get used to it." I told her. "We have to be very careful on who we let in on our mission plans."

"Isn't there some way I can prove my fucking innocence?!" She cried. I looked to Trowa, but he shook his head.

"It has to be a unanimous decision."

I scoffed at that, "Well, that's a no brainer. We already know what the others would say."

"Oh? Then what would the outcome be?" Goldie Locks asked, impatient.

I smiled, "I'd say the votes are probably against you. Wufei would put his foot down in disagreement and then probably go off into a rant on how 'woman are weak'--"

"What!?" She blurted.

"--And Heero would probably scoff at you, but don't worry, he does that to everyone. Quatre would probably be the only one to openly accept you." I continued.

"Yeah, and what about you two?" She asked disheartened.

I looked up at Trowa before turning back to her glowering face, "Well, I'm game. Dunno about T-man though."

The girl's light blue eyes chanced a quick glance at Trowa upon his nickname before snapping back to me thinking better of annoying him. Trowa responded to the name with a slight twitch of his eye, but otherwise remained as calm and collected as always. He sighed suddenly and walked over to Heero's laptop.

"Whatcha doin'?" I asked curious. I'm sure he knew it was extremely dangerous to touch Heero's laptop.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." He murmured before booting up the machine.

It flashed blinding blue before settling and asking for a password. Trowa's magnificently long fingers tapped at the keys diligently, trying different words, numbers, and combinations. After a few minutes at this work his brow creased in mild frustration.

"I told ya, this is Heero we're talking about. He's not about to let anyone gain access to his precious--"

"Ah ha!" Came the slight cheer from the lanky boy and then a slight smirk spread across his features.

"Y-you got in?" I asked surprised. No, not surprised, shocked, that word seems much more appropriate. "What was the password!?"

He glanced at me, that smirk still sitting smugly on his face, but he turned away and began fiddling with the keys again.

"H-hey! Come on! Tell me!" I whined, leaning over to get a better glance at the compute screen.

Apparently Trowa found what he was looking for because he shut down the computer and walked over to me to pick up the small black cell phone. I stared at him quizzically, willing him to let me know what was going on. But he was tight lipped and I angrily pouted, crossing my arms and leaning back against the itchy couch. He made to dial a number, but then paused and looked at me.

"What?" I spat.

He chucked the phone at me, "Call G."

"Why?"

"Just call him and then give me the phone."

"Why don't you just call him?" I argued. He turned that deadly, green orb on me and I did as instructed, though thoroughly annoyed. 

I barely caught the slight giggle that escaped Goldie Lock's throat and vowed to strangle her when this was done and over with. I dialed Professor G's secret number (man that sounds so lame) and listened to it ring a few times. G picked up after a minute or so.

"Pestilence lecturing." Came the sly, chronic voice of the old man.

"Death not listening." I replied into the phone, while rolling my eyes at our old code.

"Ah, Duo, I thought I'd have heard from you earlier." He spoke more freely, but still in that prolonged, nasally voice.

"Is that so?" I asked not really caring. "Listen, my mad co-pilot wanted me ta call ya, dunno why exactly... Anyway, he wants to talk to ya." I said looking at Trowa a bit uncertain. 

The boy nodded affirmative and reached out for the phone. I gave it to him and he spoke into the phone, "Trowa Barton; pilot 03."

A puzzled look suddenly crossed the older boy's face; a rare sight for him. I chuckled a little.

"Did he ask for your code name?" T nodded a bit unsure and I smiled, "Lion Hopper."

"What?" He asked in disbelief.

"You heard me. Lion Hopper." This was too good. "Tell him you're 'Lion Hopper' and he'll speak freely to you."

"Why?" He demanded. I could hear the old man laughing up a storm on the other end.

"Because, that's how I refer you to him." I replied simply.

If looks could kill I'd be rolling in my grave.

"...Lion Hopper..." It looked as if every syllable pained the slim boy and I smiled in relish. Goldie Locks covered her mouth to hide a smile, and perhaps repress a giggle.

Trowa continued the conversation in a slightly irked tone, but otherwise as smooth and calm as ever. "We've been told by outside sources that the super market you and the others relayed us to was an OZ base instead of the meeting ground for the back up pilot." He listened as the doc undoubtedly explained /something/ to him before answering with an, "I see."

"We have someone hear claiming to be the back up. Female, long blonde hair, looks to be fifteen."

Smugly, Goldie leaned against the kitchen table and examined her nails.

"Oh. I see." Trowa monotonously continued. A few scarce words were exchanged before he gave the phone back to me.

"Not a very lively one, eh?" Old G inquired, humored. 

I smiled, "Afraid not, but better than Destruct-O Boy."

"Don't think I'd fancy meeting him. J talks most highly of his human incapabilities." G drawled.

"He's not that bad." I replied, a bit defensive. "Anyway, she is...?"

"Yes, she's the back up as she's been telling you." G affirmed. "Now, onto more pressing matters: Get the other three pilots out of that base. You weren't briefed for specific reasons."

"Like what?"

"That is to be discussed at a later date. Pestilence out."

And the old man hung up on me.

I stared at the phone for a minute, annoyed, before clicking it off, "So, Goldie, what's your name?"

"Lydia." She spoke, looking up from her nails. "Lydia Ruggs."

"Ruggs?" I asked, slightly amused.

"Yeah." She answered, looking as if she was about to stare at her nails again, but then she snapped her eyes back on me, "What's wrong with 'Ruggs'?"

"Nothing, nothing." I put my hands up, feigning innocence. 

"And what kind of name is Duo?" She retorted, arms crossed.

"Ouch. That hurt." I mocked, rubbing my chest. "It's a name honoring someone, if you're really that interested."

She looked away, a bit embarrassed by her tasteless comeback. 

"So, T, what's our plan?" I asked looking over to the bored looking boy. 

He remained silent, apparently still contemplating our options, and Lydia, well, she looked like she might be regretting becoming our back up. She seemed kind of sensitive, not overly defensive, but the defense mechanism was definitely there. Maybe it wasn't even that though, maybe she was trying to act tough to prove to us she was capable of 'being one of the guys'? If that was the case then it was worse than being defensive. We don't need some macho woman; enough of the egotists under this roof already.

Lydia Ruggs. The name just didn't seem to sit well together. Maybe Lydia Moon or Sindy Ruggs, but not Lydia Ruggs. The names just seemed bad for one another. Names need to have some kind of compatible flow. Maybe that's why she seemed a bit self-conscious. Actually, it might not be just her name. Her body was rather curvy, not necessarily those perfect curves you see on woman in movies and magazines (more specifically the dirty ones), but it was hard to miss the wide hips and breasts even in that black space suit she was in. She had a bit of stomach too; unbecoming for American teenage girls.

"What are you staring at?" She snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I wasn't /staring/, merely looking." I responded trying to suppress my grin. She glared blue daggers at me and I laughed.

Until Trowa glared at /me/ anyway. He spoke once I shut up, "Well, I guess we're just going to have to go in undercover. We can't afford to bring the Gundams out of hiding."

"So, stealth, guns, bombs?" I asked. 

He nodded at me and then to Lydia he said, "I'd suggest putting your hair up and maybe hiding it under a hat. The color could attract unwanted attention."

I guess she figured that to be slightly complementary and began to braid her hair. "You should probably do the same, Duo." Trowa said to me. "I'm going to grab the supplies."

"Roger that." I saluted as he began walking to the door. The weapons were stashed out in the small garage.

"Oh, Duo," He stopped and turned to me, a smirk spreading across his face, "You wanted to know Heero's password right?"

I looked at him uncertain.

"It's 'Duo cyo-mukatsuka'." I stared.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You'll have to ask Heero that."

"How do /you/ know what it means?!" I demanded, but he only smiled.

"/That's/ for calling me 'Lion Hopper'. Baka."

I bit my tongue aware it was a losing battle, but it certainly didn't stop me from wishing immense ill on the boy. I'd find some wondrous prank to pull on him in the next day or two, he could count on that. Heero was another matter though. 'Cyo-mukatsuka'... Something tells me that's /not/ a compliment, whatever it means; especially if its from Heero Yuy... [1]

[1] It literally means, "Very sickening", but it is usually used when you describe people you despise :-p. 

  
  



End file.
